Behavioral Expertise
by A Penned Desire
Summary: 'Gina has been tainted with the human illness known as Compassion. A failed experiment with overtly expressive behavior will only serve to hinder my research even further.' - Kurosutchi Mayuri.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Hisagi Shūhei's Past

**A/N: Hello minna! This is my first time ever writing Bleach. Please bear with me if there are any mistakes. Don't forget to let me know what you all think of the first chapter! Honestly, I wanted this to be a prologue but in the end, it came out a little too long for a prologue. Do enjoy!**

(Approximately 100 years ago…)

"Doushite anata naite irunodesuka…?" A soft, female voice spoke up from behind the wall.

Almost instantly, the dark-haired boy stopped whimpering and his head snapped up at the undesirable intrusion. With an annoyed scowl, he stood up on tiptoes and tried to lean over the stone barrier which separated him and the mysterious girl. This place was his most favorite, out-of-the-way spot where he could cry by himself and sort of out his thoughts which his male playmates did not even know, so what gives a _girl_ the right to find him here?

His gray eyes scanned the shadows below and only found a huddled heap of shabby cloth. "Who the hell are you and how did you know I was here?" he demanded, his scrapes now forgotten.

The girl giggled and her cloak quivered with her mirth. "First of all, this is _my _secret spot and second, I didn't know you were here. Third, I humbly apologize because I cannot do what you ask."

His accusing stare evolved into a full-fledged glare. How dare she claim this spot as her own when he had found it first? His arms were starting to ache from the effort of supporting his body weight now that his legs dangled slightly above ground, and it was this entire girl's fault!

"And why not?" he snapped rudely.

There was a slight but hesitant pause before she went on to answer his question. "Because my father said so; but I could tell you my name…it's Gina. Do you mind giving me my space please and not peep over the wall like that since it is apparent that we have to share this spot?"

The boy's mouth open and closed as he gaped at the girl in disbelief. However, he rapidly recovered and did as he was told though feeling resentful for it. "Why must you follow what your dad tells you to all the time; it's not like you are doing something wrong in the first place? Besides, he doesn't even know you are here, I'm sure." His curiosity of 'this girl in the strange garb' was piqued.

"You don't know who he is…he has eyes everywhere and I am afraid of the consequences if I do disobey his orders so I can't let you see my face, I'm sorry."

There was a hint of sadness in her voice, he noticed but generously decided not to point it out. After all, there was that 'dark something' that everyone wanted to keep a secret so as not to maim the opinions on how others perceive them. He crouched down and leaned back against the wall, sighing audibly. "My name is Hisagi, Hisagi Shūhei."

"_Ja_, Shu-chan!" The girl's voice had brightened considerably now.

He reddened slightly and raised a fist in mild irritation. "Just because we going to share _my _secret spot, don't go around changing my name! Besides, you aren't even my friend!"

The girl only laughed childishly but wisely ignored his juvenile remark. "So I heard you crying earlier, why?"

There was just something about the girl's pacifying expression that influenced him greatly to let slip his fears. "I saw those monster-like things killing people again…"

Again, came the pause just before she went on. "I'm afraid I can't say anything else to ease the pain except to lend you a listening ear and say sorry, Shu-chan…" she said sincerely honestly before allowing the sentence to trail off.

"When I grow up, I am going to be a Shinigami like Kensei-san and join up in the 9th Division and protect everyone in Rukongai!" he declared, standing firm to his resolve.

"Shinigami, huh?" Gina repeated, her voice suddenly sounding dull and hollow.

Shūhei stopped and instinctively turned his head to the side as his eyes slid over to the wall. "You don't like the Shinigami much, do you?"

"No, it's not as simple as just detesting them…" Gina's voice sounded uncomfortable. "Besides, I am sure you will become a fine Shinigami with such determination but then again don't be such a crybaby…" she added mischievously.

"_N-N-N-Nani_! Who are you calling a crybaby?" Shūhei responded indignantly.

"You, Shu-chan," she answered promptly before bursting into laughter.

"_T-TEME_, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN EARLY DEATH?" Shūhei snarled, a vein at the side of his forehead popping out as he shook his clenched fist. In response to his death threat, he only heard Gina's hysterics which was infectious as it subsequently brought a small smile, slackening his pursed lips.

"_Ne _Shu-chan, will you be my friend?" the girl from behind the wall, asked him unexpectedly after her laughter had died down.

"W-W-What kind of dumb question is that?" he answered, coughing slightly to cover up his embarrassment. "_Baka, _I've been talking to you for the past thirty minutes, haven't I? Geez, _mendo kusai_!" He scratched his head, further messing up his spiky hair. Then, he heard movement on the other side and intuitively looked up.

A pale, thin hand extended itself over the wall. "Promise?" Gina's voice sounded muffled but insistent which was loud enough for him to hear her. It was then that he noticed the inky black tattoo closely resembling the rungs of a ladder encircling her hand. Shūhei stood up and dusted his kimono. "_Syouganai_ _na_!" he complained before he reached out and wrapped her outstretched pinky finger around with his own, giving it a firm shake to seal their friendship by means of the ever-familiar pinky promise.

* * *

><p>As usual, Hisagi Shūhei ran over to their meeting place where he knew that Gina would be waiting anxiously for the results of his entrance exams to the Shinigami Academy. With encouragement from her, he had decided to re-take the exams again after failing it the year before.<p>

"I failed yet again!" Shūhei announced cheerily, trying his best to hide the disappointment in his voice.

It had already been seven years since the beginning of their friendship when each had caught the other trespassing their favorite spot. By this time, Gina had managed to open up and trust him well enough to sit beside him but not enough to reveal her face which always seemed to be eternally shadowed underneath that dark hood of hers. He had been peeved by it at first but he knew she had her reasons for not showing him her face so he told her that he would wait until she was ready.

"_Baka_, is that how you are supposed to take it?" Gina shrieked at him and thumped him on the head furiously.

Shūhei winced and massaged the red bump that had erupted from the sore spot. "What am I supposed to do, Gina?" he protested, in a calm voice. "Cry over milk that has already been spilt? I've already failed twice; maybe I am just not cut out to be a Shinigami after all…Maybe I should –"

The girl folded her arms across her chest. From her rigid posture, Shūhei knew that she was mad at him for saying that. "You should what, become a sitting duck and wait for those Hollows to come attack you?" she interrupted in a crabby voice.

"Someone's in a bad mood today –" he began before he was cut short again by Gina who had promptly took the chance to whack him on the head again.

"That hurts big time, you know!" Shūhei growled as he continued to rub feverishly at the same spot which by now had developed into two throbbing bulges with wispy steam drifting from them.

She huffed and turned away from him, her arms still folded. "What happened to the boy I knew seven years ago who told me that he wanted to become a Shinigami like that Kensei-san?" she challenged. "Haven't you heard the phrase 'if you don't succeed, then try, try again'?"

Shūhei got up from the ground and went over to sit next to the girl. He smirked, "I knew you would say something along that line; don't worry, I'll take the entrance exams again next year and I'll show you and Kensei-san that I am no crybaby!"

A warm, companionable silence fell between the two but it was Gina who broke it, a few minutes later. "_Ne _Shu-chan, if something bad were to happen to me and I disappeared, what will you do?" she asked him unexpectedly.

On hearing this, Shūhei's head snapped up and he turned to look over at the cloaked girl, the girl he had known for seven years but had barely known anything about her except her clumsy but compassionate and temperamental nature as well as her deep interest of the Human World. He glared down at her bowed figure, suddenly realizing just how small and fragile this girl was despite her overtly expressiveness. "What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded harshly as he fully turned his frame towards her. It was simply uncharacteristic of her to sound so lost and distant with him.

It was as if she was holding out for a more intense effect because a moment later, Gina burst out into laughter. "_Nanchatte_!" she said in between her chortles. "I was just fooling around; there's no need to get all panicky!"

Indeed, Shūhei's facial expression was priceless as different emotions fought with one another to gain dominance over all. Finally, disbelief settled over his boyish features and he continued glaring down at her. "Don't say things like that, Gina even if you meant it as a joke…" he spoke up quietly, his gray eyes piercing; there was even a note of hidden anger underneath his tone of voice.

Almost immediately, the girl stopped laughing. Shūhei could feel her eyes on him but he did not turn to look at her, not that there was anything to look at anyway. "Do you still have to listen to your father about not letting anyone see your appearance?" he asked her. "I mean we have already shared a seven-year-long friendship…" he allowed his sentence to trail off, waiting expectantly for her reply.

"No," came her typical instant, impassive reply. "I'm sorry, Shu-chan."

_If only I had asserted more strongly and looked past her laughter; if only I could have done that very thing…_

* * *

><p>Finally, it was the day before his third-time tryout entrance exam results were out and Shūhei was absolutely terrified of the looming outcome. Heck, he had already failed it twice…anything could happen to his third time. His fear did nothing to ease his stiff posture that Gina had oh-so-tactfully pointed out, taking this perfect opportunity to tease him about it as she continued to arrange the food out which she had cooked and had them boxed up, early that morning. For some reason or other, she wanted to have a picnic at their wall to commemorate their eight-year friendship which he found was ridiculous. He was in it for the food which was why he agreed to it, in the first place.<p>

"Don't look so gloomy, Shu-chan!" Gina said, slapping him on the back. It was quite painful actually as his body shot forward from the impact but he could hardly feel the pain at all. "Here, have some of your favorite Vienna sausages, I made them especially for you!" The girl continued as she held up the plate but not before stealing one and popping it into her mouth that was concealed underneath her usual hooded robe.

Shūhei only stared blankly at her as she waved the plate before his face, trying to entice him with its aroma. "You burnt them again, didn't you?" he finally spoke up, sighing. "You took the only one on the plate that wasn't burnt."

"Of course not, they _look _well-done that's all." she protested indignantly. "Shu-chan, how could you be so mean to me? I woke up really early to make those for you! So eat!"

Again, Shūhei heaved a sigh and he took one off the plate before popping it into his mouth and chewed. He grimaced but managed to swallow it down after much difficulty and five glasses of water. "See, it's not even _well-done_, Gina…it's _over-done_."

"Okay, so I placed them in the skillet for an hour and forgot to take them out…so what, it's the thought that counts in the end!" she argued back.

Before Shūhei could respond, he was cut off by an earsplitting scream which was followed by a savage roar. Instinctively, their heads snapped up at the sound and they leapt up. "_Kono_ _reiatsu_…it belongs to a Hollow!" Shūhei shouted out before he took off into a sprint, their picnic soon forgotten.

"Shu-chan, wait! Shu-chan!"

Shūhei heard Gina calling out for him and the sound of running feet that were behind him but he did not bother to reciprocate. His heart was hammering against his chest as the blood rushed to his brain and face and adrenaline surged through him. His ears were ringing from the inhuman sound. Fear crept its way into his heart, pushing out the small ounce of courage he had earlier.

All he had in his mind was to get there as fast as possible. He would have to deal with Gina later; the situation at hand was more important. He arrived at the scene, of course in time to see two of those corrupted spirits lunging for a horror-struck boy who was rooted to the ground. Not thinking things through like he habitually did, he grabbed a fallen branch that was lying near him and dove for the Hollows with a loud bellow. A second later when he was sent flying backwards by one of them, he realized that that he had no chance in winning against even one, not without a Zanpakutō.

"SHU-CHAN!"

Somewhere from behind him, Shūhei heard Gina screaming out his name as his head was knocked backwards and his gray eyes slid over to the hooded girl.

"G-Gina…" Shūhei managed a whisper just before he hit the ground. His body rolled violently backwards before stopping a distance away from his friend. He was not strong enough to protect anyone…

It was then that he saw Gina stepping out in front of him with her back to him, blocking his view of her. Through his cloudy vision, he raised one hand out weakly towards her. "Don't go there…" he murmured just before the darkness swooped down to claim him.

* * *

><p>Shūhei did not know how long it was that he was knocked unconscious by that Hollow; how many hours had passed since he had failed to rescue that boy…or at least tried to with a broken tree branch? Inwardly, he scoffed at himself for his weakness and his fear of fighting. Opening his heavy-lidded eyes seemed so difficult a task; he shut them hastily as soon as his vision swam, making his stomach churn in nausea.<p>

"Relax Shu-chan…"

Someone was whispering in his ear and its warm breath tickled the sensitive skin in his ear. He groaned in response and held one hand out to the familiar stranger whose voice he had recognized almost instantly for eight years. A warm, soft hand enveloped his cold one. "You hit your head pretty hard though," Gina added. "Don't worry, you'll be fine after a night's rest."

He could hear the intensity in her voice…was it something akin to sadness? He did not know. Shūhei tightened his grip on her hand as he opened his mouth to speak to her. "T-T-That boy…" he stammered out hoarsely. "W-What happened to him?" Again, there was the ever-familiar pause from her and he felt her loosening her grip on his hand but he held on. "G-Gina…" he called her name.

"You worry too much, Shu-chan; a Shinigami came by and saved him."

He allowed a bitter smile to cross his lips as he tried to force open his eyes once again. "Lie…" he hissed out. "I saw no one…just you…"

There was silence again after his words. With his free hand, he fumbled around for her. "Gina…" he whispered huskily. "Please…tell me…W-Who are you?"

Still, there was only silence. It was as if he was talking to himself and not to her. It was then that he felt it; droplets of moisture that fell onto his left cheek. She was crying, he realized which drove him to strain himself to open his eyes once more. Through his still murky vision, he saw _her_…the real Gina whom he had never once laid eyes upon for the past eight years since they had met. Her hair, long and wavy was the color of silver which her name must have symbolized and her eyes were the color of light turquoise. He raised his free hand to touch her face to prove to himself that he was not dreaming. Her face so close to his, yet seemed so far. Their lips met in the softest of kisses before she pulled away from him and gave him one final kiss on his forehead. "Good luck for tomorrow's results which you will definitely pass and get through. You will become a great Shinigami, Shu-chan."

"Gina…" Shūhei breathed, his hand still caressing her soft face.

"I hope you will forgive me, Shu-chan…"

_Those were her parting words for me, I guess because these were the last of the memories I had of her, Gina, the girl who disappeared from my life as quickly as she had appeared…_

~DO REVIEW PLEASE~


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Gina's Past I

**A/N: Thank you so much for your encouraging review Gypsygrrl! I hope this one still lives up to your expectation! :)**

(Approximately 120 years ago…)

"Kurosutchi _taichou_, Kurosutchi _taichou_! We did it! We did it!"

I could hear them, those people whom they referred to themselves as scientists. For some reason or other, they appeared to be expressing joy at something.

"Secure her heart rate and breathing pressure!"

As I slowly regained my consciousness and my sense of touch, I realized that my limbs were strapped down against my will. I jerked against their strength, feeling the non-corrosive metal bite into my bare skin. I felt my lungs slowly begin to expand and a strange, bitter liquid began to invade my nose and mouth, filling my lungs with it. My eyes shot open and I shook my head violently to clear my blurred, bubble-filled vision. It was then that I realized myself that my body could hardly take in any oxygen with all that odd pink liquid in my lungs; I understood there and then, that I was drowning…I was dying before I could even introduce myself to the world outside, past this glass barrier that had me sealed off from all sides. "_Onegai_…" I mouthed the words out. "_T-Tasukete_…"

"Release the chain restraints and the liquid pressure, you idiot!"

Soon after, I heard strange clinking noises and both my hands and feet were released. Almost instantly, I lifted my hands and covered my nose and mouth, to prevent the fluid from further entering my lungs. It seemed like an eternity before I felt the pressure exerted from the liquid dropping as the vents below my hovering feet opened to drain it away. Without any support to hold on to, I crumpled to the base of what I deemed it to be a large glass-like circular cylinder, in a messy heap. Gasping hard, I raised my head feebly just as the glass barrier fell away.

"Get her some clothes as well! Geez, I don't even know why I have such slothful, mindless recruits!" the same voice ordered to those scientists. "Nemu, come here!"

An eerie-looking man with golden eyes approached me and instinctively, I drew back but it was not like it did anything to diminish the distance between us. I was careful to keep my head lowered; for some peculiar reason, this man frightened me. My eyes widened when his shadow loomed over me. He placed one latex glove-wrapped finger below my chin and forced my head up. My eyes unwillingly slid over to his, and his lips pulled backwards to reveal his teeth which were startlingly white, considering that his entire face was painted with stark colors of black and white. "Good girl, I see you didn't break your storage equipment," he spoke up as he continued to turn my head sideways to scrutinize me. I opened my mouth to respond but found that I hardly could articulate a word, much less a sound. All that escaped from my throat was a whimper.

"Oh come now, there's nothing to be afraid of…let's see, what shall I call you…" he allowed the sentence to trail off as he took his finger away from underneath my chin. His golden eyes were still inspecting my face as if searching for inspiration. At that moment, a slight woman with dark hair stepped forward and went over to stand beside him. He turned to her with an irritated look on his face. "Well what are you waiting for, Nemu, my experimental explosive serum? Don't just stand there! Dress her already!" he snapped scornfully.

"_Hai_ Mayuri-sama," Nemu answered impassively before she leapt into action. Swiftly, she unfolded the black and white fabric from her arms. It was similar to the one that she was wearing, I observed. I stiffened slightly when her hands clamped themselves around my wrists and I looked up questioningly at her deadpan face, wondering what she was going to do with me. She was startlingly gentle as she helped me get down from the platform and onto my feet.

"What are these?" I asked her timidly.

For a moment, her green eyes flickered with amusement but I must have imagined it because it vanished completely the next moment, like it had not been there before. She held out the white fabric which looked to be an undershirt. "Clothes, this is the_ nagajuban_ which is to be worn over this black kimono here; this is what your uniform is going to be like after," she explained patiently before she pointed to herself.

I stared at her uniform in fascination. "Why must we wear _clothes_?" I interrogated, staring openly at her with a mystified expression on my face. "I'm wearing my skin, aren't I?"

Before Nemu could answer my question, the man with the creepy golden eyes, who I assumed was that 'Mayuri-sama', dismissed Nemu in a rude manner. "That's enough explanations for one day…honestly Nemu, I asked you to _dress _her and not have a _heart-to-heart_! It does not take more than a minute to do that!"

"I'm sorry, Mayuri-sama," Nemu replied promptly. "I will do so at once."

I frowned at the older man in front of me. "Why are you scolding her for? She didn't do anything wrong to you." The moment those words left my mouth, I instantly felt a sense of regret and nervousness. His eyes slid languidly over to mine and fixed them with such a penetrating gaze that I had to look away.

"Nemu, I will put…Gina under your care; see to it that she is _educated_," Mayuri said in his commanding tone after a short pause. He turned back and pointed one finger at me, "That's your name…Gina which signifies your silvery hair."

* * *

><p>It was ten years after I was, as Nemu had proudly described 'given birth to by Mayuri-sama and his ingenious science'. To anyone within hearing range, it sounded rather ghastly; even to me. The reproduction capacity was only unique to females…and not males or science for that matter. I was an 'Artificial Shinigami' just like my older sister, Nemu. She too was borne by the <em>Gigai <em>and _Gikon _technology by that creepy scientist. I did not like to think of _him _as my father; he was hardly a parent but Nemu was one to me though. She was the one who nurtured me since I was 'made' and had taught me about the existence of the Soul Society.

"Gina, why don't you try this one…what is the fifth incantation from Chapter 12 from page 398?" Akon asked me.

"I've given you over a thousand of those that even I've lost count of already!" I complained, pursing my lips in disapproval. "Can we move on to the next assessment please? I'm getting bored."

The older man only smiled pleasantly at me. "We have to finish these for Kurosutchi _taichou_. I'll buy you milk pudding, how's that sound?" he added.

"Really?" I exclaimed enthusiastically, knowing full well that he was bribing me. Who cares anyway as long as I got my milk pudding, all was fine. "Fifth phrase from Chapter 12 from page 398 right," I repeated. "_Hadō _#91: _Senjū Kōten Taihō_. Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away; scatter brightly and cleanly when fired."

I grinned, when I saw Akon's expression of disbelief on his face. "You really have eidictic memory, don't you?"

"Well I am in love my brain and vice versa," I deadpanned.

Akon sighed loudly as he closed the 'The Shinigami Guide to Kidō Incantations' and placed the book on the table. "In just ten minutes of skimming through the entire thing? People take _years _justto have them memorized; that's just unbelievable!" he complained, ignoring my remark.

"Why, you've been in charge of my analysis for the past seven years and I've barely made any mistakes so what's there _not _to believe?" I asked him, smiling innocently. "So you owe me a milk pudding now."

He slapped one hand to his forehead. "I assumed that this 'ability' of yours will start to deteriorate with time because Nemu was just like that too…well, in the initial stages of course."

"Don't you have to write your report now?" I reminded him.

"Ah yes, I almost forgot about that…" he groaned. "And I'll get you your milk pudding tonight."

Just then, Nemu entered Akon's laboratory and Akon bowed in polite greeting and acknowledgement of her presence. "Mayuri-sama is requesting for your company, Gina; come with me."

I nodded my obedience and went over to her, suddenly aware of the sense of anxiety that coursed through me. Akon glanced over at me; I knew he noticed the sudden display of submission which was uncharacteristic of me. Of course it should be that way; anyone with the 12th Division Captain in the same room was bound to feel terrified of him. In my opinion, after knowing my 'father' for the ten years of my life, I had learnt the fine art of being a mute in his presence unless it was absolutely necessary, of course but not at the course of jeopardizing my own life.

"Nemu-oneesan, what does he want?" I asked, trailing slightly behind her so as to show the respect she deserved as being the vice-Captain despite the fact that she was my sister.

"You'll know when you get there," she answered flatly.

The walk to his laboratory was short, just a few doors away from Akon's and Nemu was being downright subdued, as usual. I knew it was only because of the influence of that crazy scientist. I swallowed the lump of fear that had established itself in my throat, bracing myself for anything that my 'father' might throw at me as Nemu gave the door, a slight knock.

"Enter."

"I have brought her as you have requested, Mayuri-sama," Nemu spoke up before she stepped back, a few paces behind me.

"Took you long enough," Mayuri barked and motioned me to come over to where he was sitting at, a table with a bizarre-looking machine in front of him. There was an empty chair across the table from him which I took. He leaned forward, exposing his healthy white teeth in a sickening grin. "I assume you know what you are here for?"

I nodded wordlessly, stiffening slightly when I saw _that_ machine with their little odds-and-ends that 'looked' harmless but was designed to administer indescribable pain to their victim. I noticed Mayuri's crazed smile widened when he saw me trembling slightly. Of course, I knew what it was for though this 'laboratory analysis' was planned a little earlier than scheduled.

"Oh and Nemu, close that damn door!" he continued before fiddling with his instrument. "We don't want her screams to ricochet down the hallway…" he muttered this under his breath. Once satisfied with his instrument-regulation, he proceeded over to me while rummaging around in his laboratory coat pocket.

Promptly albeit reluctantly, I held out my arm and he delivered the familiar greenish anesthetic, though it did not seem to help as much seeing as it was supposed to according to my 'father' but I knew otherwise after a few of these clinical trials, so to speak. He just wanted to take pleasure in my pain just as much as Nemu's. After all to him, we are nothing but lesser beings…his less than perfect experimental designs. Without missing a beat, he began the excruciating insertion ritual of pushing those tubes into my skull and arms. My eyes widened as I gasped out in pain when they punctured through the protective layers my skin. My hands curled themselves into tight fists in my lap, trying to hold back the sudden intense surge of pain as the tears began to make their usual tracks down my cheeks. As another one was stabbed into the base of my neck, I released the bottled-up suffering in one long, piercing scream. It hurts so much…

The emotional travail and torment that I have suffered for the past ten years of Mayuri's experiments on my body was unparalleled to the physical pain which his healing serum could remove all traces of broken skin and scars. "I do hope you didn't lose consciousness like the last time," he said with a light warning laced in his voice.

I struggled to look up at him and managed to shake my head. My throat had gone hoarse from all the screaming that I did earlier. My vision was wavering but I fought to stay focused. I had learnt that losing consciousness was not worth it because he had other sample drugs on hand to force me from blacking out. "Now I want you to go into that 'oracle mode' yours," he commanded once he was back in his chair.

I closed my eyes trying to block out the many different flows of pain directed to my brain from all over my body; it could not possibly take the mental strain on top of it all. _This clinical analysis was going to be over in a few minutes, I can do this…_

"Hmm…how curious, your percentage accuracy still stands at 73.549% for the past three years and counting," Mayuri mumbled to himself as he wrote something feverishly on the clipboard beside him. He gave it a cursory once look-over of his final report and once he was satisfied, did he stop the excruciating machine's electrical impulses. I fell backwards on the chair in exhaustion, my spine unable to support my upright posture and body weight. My 'father' did even bother to take another look at me as he stood up and turned to my older sister. "Nemu, extract those tubes from her body and take her away."

It was the bitterness and anger concealed deep in the recesses of my heart that drove me to hate my so-called father and maker with such intense passion; the severe years serving as a science experiment for the 12th Division Captain was the reason why I had gained the human compassion for others of what _he _termed it to be as the 'Human Illness'.

* * *

><p>"Nemu-oneesan, why don't I have one those things?" I asked my approaching older sister, as I jumped off from the ledge after an hour of spying on those sparring Shinigami novices.<p>

"That's because you aren't a part of the 13 Division Imperial Guards," Nemu answered promptly. "Right now, having a zanpakutō is not an important issue; your hand-to-hand combat isn't formidable enough even after ten years of training you."

I only grinned at her. "That's because of my minimal stamina but my brain does make up for it… more or less. Besides I would prefer not to fight with anyone."

The older woman took one look at me and sighed audibly. "I wonder how you got such an expressive personality; even if you dislike it, you should at least have the basics to fight against Hollows to protect yourself."

"Hollows?" I repeated. "I read about those before; corrupted spirits borne from former Pluses that lose their hearts to despair and devour souls of both the living and the deceased."

"Yes exactly; you'll be eaten if you don't know how to protect yourself from them. Mayuri-sama has allowed for today's lesson to take place in Rukongai," Nemu said.

My eyes widened in astonishment at her words. "Really? I can go to Rokungai now?" I exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Yes, _and_ I don't want you wandering off on your own," she added blandly.

I pouted, expressing my displeasure unashamedly to the vice-Captain of the 12th Division. "Aww, that's no fun…"

"The only reason why Mayuri-sama allowed you to go was because he wants your combat analysis; in other words, we are going on a Hollow hunt," Nemu continued, utterly disregarding my remark before she abruptly turned her back to me and began walking away.

Reluctantly, I followed after her. _Like she had said, I've not yet learned the basics of combat and already that nutty scientist wants me to go up against Hollows; just how much longer does he need to study me…?_

It had only been slightly over fifteen minutes when I first felt it…the creepy feeling of a nearby Hollow's presence in the Rokungai district. A few moments later, I heard a woman's scream which was followed by a tug of fear in my heart. "Come Gina!" Nemu called over her shoulder before she took off into a run in the direction where the shriek had came from.

I made a rude noise under my breath and silently followed after her. _I'm not even prepared yet…! What am I going to do when I get there…?_

"_Dareka tasukete kudasai_!(Somebody, please save me!)"

"Here!" Nemu tossed me a familiar-looking weapon. "This is a prototype katana that Mayuri-sama developed to combat against Hollows which is similar to that of a zanpakutō but it doesn't have a living spirit residing in it."

Flustered, I flailed about trying to catch hold of it and managed to do it just before it hit the ground. "And as usual I have to be his guinea pig…" I muttered under my breath.

The vice-Captain of the 12th Division went into action, the moment the two of us had spotted the corrupted spirit in the near distance. She directed a well-aimed roundhouse kick at its massive wrist and reflexively, it released its female victim with a loud bellow. Without missing a beat, Nemu disappeared only to reappear at a safer distance with the unconscious woman in her arms. It was evident that she had used _Shunpo_, a move that I was appallingly bad at much to Mayuri's dismay. Setting the woman underneath a foliage-free tree, she turned to me. "Finish it off, Gina."

I swallowed and stared up at the oversized spirit before me, which had already recovered from its initial shock and was stampeding, heading directly for me. _Me finishing this…you have got to be kidding me; it'll finish ME off in two seconds flat…_


End file.
